Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About The Government’s Conflict Of Interest On Toyota?

• February 10, 2010

The Toyota recalls are making national news, and rightfully so I guess. Though it seems to me as though the coverage is getting a bit sensational.
Regardless, what is interesting is that the government has a role in regulating Toyota. Investigating Toyota. Ordering Toyota’s recalls. That’s authority the federal government has always had, but what’s different these days is that only does the federal government have the power to tax, regulate, investigate, etc. car companies like Toyota. The federal government also owns two car companies.
Which sets up quite a conflict of interest, no? After all, we don’t put Google in charge of regulating Yahoo. We don’t put Microsoft in charge of taxing Apple. We wouldn’t let McDonald’s head up an investigation into bad hamburgers at Burger King.
But now we’ve got the owner of General Motors and Chrysler also in charge of investigating, regulating, etc. Toyota. One of GM and Chrysler’s biggest competitors.
This, in a nutshell, is why the government isn’t supposed to own companies.

Tags: Asshats, Domestic Issues, Politics

http://Array West

It’s been obvious as hell to me that there is a full-court press on to discredit Toyota. To my knowledge, at this time there have been none, zero, confirmed cases of a ‘defect’ causing a single incident. Yet the media is on it 7/24, pounding the issue relentlessly.I’ve seen similar issues come and go over the years, and I have never before seen non-stop emphasis this ‘problem’ has been receiving from the press. Of course, most Toyotas sold here are made here, and if Toyota sales fall, there will go jobs and income with them.
sayanything-342

Toyoto can get around this very easily. Just play up to Obama’s ego. Name a car after him.
robert108

IMO, it’s a combination of the general public hatred of big business, ginned up by generations of Dem class envy politics, and the lack of coverage of the reality that Obama has engineered a fascist takeover of those two car companies. Kids no longer learn about the evils of fascism, socialism and communism in school. Maybe they think it’s just another form of “bipartisanship”.
sayanything-203

How about “You-Go”?
sayanything-4928

That would be one way of getting rid of the UAW. Better yet couldn’t we just get rid of all the unions?
sayanything-203

Speaking of conflicts of interest and car companies, isn’t it about time for Ford to rid itself of the UAW, now that the union is a part owner in Ford’s two major domestic competitors? The UAW can hardly claim to have the Ford auto workers best interests at heart, or to be negotiating in good faith, when the union is part owner of GM and Chrysler.
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

“The Turkey?”
sayanything-12

To be clear, there really isn’t any question that there are safety issues with the Toyota vehicles, and it also appears likely that Toyota worked to hide these defects at first.

You raise good points about the problems of separate of corporate and federal structures in this country and the degree to which that has increased the awareness of the problems, but Japan has always enjoyed a partnership between the large companies and the government: Preferential laws, interest rates, protection from scrutiny by the press are just some of the privileges they historically enjoyed in Japan, Inc.

Ig is possible that part of Toyota’s spotless safety record may simply be an ability to hide blemishes, rather than prevent them through improved engineering?

We now return to the regularly scheduled episode of Obama Beat Down.
sayanything-277

“It’s been obvious as hell to me that there is a full-court press on to discredit Toyota.”

I agree. Automobile manufacturers have recalls all the time to correct what are normal minor defects (Honda just announced one) but now for Toyota it’s a big thing. I’ve driven Toyotas, 2 Camrys and currently a Prius, and they are some of the most maintenance free vehicles I’ve ever had far surpassing any American model I’ve owned. I’ve had the Prius close to 5 years without any of the stated problems.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

I thought I saw a headline about 19 deaths being associated with the defects. But I could be wrong. Or the media could be exaggerating.

Regardless, good points.
sayanything-2361

To wander into a different discussion;
“Why Isnâ€™t Anyone Talking About The Governmentâ€™s Conflict Of Interest On Toyota?”

Why isn’t anyone talking about how absurd it is that the government CAN have a conflict of interest with a COMPETING car company?
We’ve entered a whole new era where a safety, political, product cost decision are all becoming the same thing.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

Why isn’t anyone talking about how absurd it is that the government CAN have a conflict of interest with a COMPETING car company?

Good question.
sayanything-2804

It is a Japanese Co. how about, “You-Go-Now”
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

isn’t it about time for Ford to rid itself of the UAW, now that the union is a part owner in Ford’s two major domestic competitors?

Good point.
sayanything-3444

Whatever the name it would have to be a hybrid or a multi-fuel vehicle, capable of running on bullshyte and smoke and mirrors.
sayanything-7956

The Japanese aren’t stupid enough to have 4.84 retirees per worker and to provide huge benefits to those retirees and lots of paid holiday leave to the workers, as does GM.
Of course, Toyota actually makes a profit, unlike our welfare basketcases GM and Chrysler.

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Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About The Government’s Conflict Of Interest On Toyota?

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